Laura Muir makes GB team for European Championships in Serbia

ATHLETICS: Dundee runner eyes double

In-form Milnathort athlete Laura Muir will launch her bid to become a double champion after the Great Britain squad for the European Indoor Championships was confirmed.

The 23-year-old Dundee Hawkhill Harrier is included in the team for Serbia next month, which also includes fellow Hawkhill Harrier Eilish McColgan and Pitreavie’s Eilidh Doyle.

McColgan will compete against Muir in the 1,500m and 3,000m while Kinross 400m hurdles specialist Doyle is named for the flat 400m and the 4x400m relay.

Muir is in the form of her life after taking a second off Dame Kelly Holmes’ British indoor 1,000m time at the Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday and will race in the 1,500m and 3,000m.

She also set a new European record with the second fastest run of all time on Saturday, which came after posting a new European 3,000m indoor record and the British 5,000m indoor record.

Performance director Neil Black said: “I’m pleased with the blend of this team.

“We’ve got Olympic medallists in Robbie Grabarz, Eilidh Doyle and Asha Philip; World indoor medallists in Lorraine Ugen and Richard Kilty; as well as exceptionally talented athletes like Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Laura Muir and Andrew Pozzi, all of whom I expect to make the step up this year and start winning global medals.

“With a home World Championships in London, 2017 is an even bigger year for us than 2016, so starting it off in a positive manner is essential and I am expecting to see a number of medal-winning performances in Belgrade.”

Also in the squad are defending 60metres champion Richard Kilty, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, world no 1 for the 60m hurdles Andrew Pozzi and Lasswade athlete Guy Learmonth, who has set three indoor personal bests over 800m this year.

Britain has a number of podium potentials in Belgrade, with Pozzi favourite and Kilty aiming to defend his 2015 60m sprint title.

British champion Lorraine Ugen, European medallist Jazmin Sawyers, and Johnson-Thompson, who has recovered from a hamstring strain, will all be looking to claim Britain’s first European indoor medal for 33 years in the women’s long jump.

The championships will run from March 3 to 5.